Expansible bracelet.



s. BRUNER.

EXPANSIBLE BRACELET.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9. 19m.

11 ,QUThfifi Patented Dec. 5,1916.

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SIMON BRUNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

EXPANSIBLF} BRACELET.

Application filed March 9, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SIMON BRUNER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, county of Bronx, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Expansible Bracelets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to so-called expansible bracelets wherein two-piece, springclosed links serve to give elasticity to the chain as a whole, thus adapting the bracelet to be slipped over the hand of the wearer and snugly fit the wrist,'irrespectivewithin reasonable limitsof the wrist measurement.

I am aware that not only are expansible bracelets in themselves quite old in the art to which they appertain, but that two-piece links of the character shown and described herein are not new in a general sense.

Specifically, this invention more particularly relates to the manner of uniting the ends of a formed blank which has been folded or bent upon itself to form one of the link-parts. The manner of connecting these link-part ends is a matter of prime consideration. In the first place the construction must be comparatively simple and not add materially to the labor and consequent cost of manufacture. Furthermore, these joined ends must present a symmetrical, finished and attractive appearance, this being one of the reasons why soldering is objectionable.

The principal object of the present invention is to improve upon the manner in which these link-piece ends have heretofore been closed, so that these links in themselves and the bracelet as a whole will be simple in construction, the various parts easily assembled and the finished article present a symmetrical and attractive appearance in both its expanded and contracted conditions.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a bracelet embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is anenlarged plan view of the blank from which what may be termed the side or outer link-piece is formed. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the blank after the first operation thereon in the course of manufacture; Fig. 4 is an edge view thereof; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the same after it has been folded or bent Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

Serial No. sauce.

upon itself, with the ends left open for the reception of what may be termed the inner link-piece and the spring; Fig. 6 is an end view of the closed link; Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the inner link-part, and Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of the assembled parts, partly in section.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that my improved bracelet comprises a connected series of links 11, each of these links comprising two parts, what I have termed the outer part being formed from a suitably shaped blank (Fig. 2), which has been struck from sheet metal. This blank comprises two side portions 12 and 13 connected by a relatively narrow portion or bridge 14, what may be termed the longitudinal axis of this elongated blank preferably describin substantially the arc of a circle, the circumference of which is intended to approximate that of a wrist of average size. At the free end of one of said side portions is provided an extended finger 15 and at the end of the other side portion a relatively wider and shorter extension 16 at the base of which is punched a laterally elongated aperture or orifice 17 of a size and shape adapted to receive and snugly contain the finger 15. By a suitable diestamping operation the side portions 12 and 13 of this blank are now struck up to trough shape, and the finger 15 is formed into a hook 18, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Vith respect to this hook 18, it will be noted that in forming the same the finger 15 is first bent inwardly and rearwardly at an angle of about 45, then outwardly in a plane substantially parallel to the axis of the link, the end thereof being then in position for insertion into the orifice 17 when the two portions 12 and 13 have been bent upon each other, as shown in Fig. 5.

The inner link or link-part 19 (Fig. 7) is in the form of a closed loop, the longitudinal axis of which is curved to correspond with the curvature of the longitudinal axis of the side or outer link-part just described. The sides 12 and 13 of the outer link-parts are spaced from each other by the bridge 14 at one end and by the extension 16 and the hook-and-slot connection at the other end. The inner link or link-part 19 is adapted to span either the bridge 14 at one end of the outer link-part or the extension 16 at the other end thereof, lying between the spaced edges of said part and slidable therebethe opposite grooves provided by the S trough-shape of each of the sides of said outer link-part. Thewinner link-part 19 is passed over one of the ends of the outer link-part prior to the closing of said ends,

is adjusted therein as shown in Fig. 8, a I coil-spring 21 in compression being inserted between opposite ends of the inner and outer link-parts, as shown. A second inner link-part is then similarly passed over one of the free ends of the outer link-part, to be secured in a similar manner within another outer link-part to connect adjacent links. The inherent resiliency of the metal permits the insertion of the bent finger end or hook 18 outwardly through the orifice 17, after which this finger end may be bent down against the end wall of the formed side portion 13 and the bent parts compressed to clamp the end of the side portion 13 firmly therebetween. It will be apparent that the series of compound links being thus secured to each other, the spring 21 will operate to keep each thereof in what may be termed a closed condition, capable of being readily expanded against the yielding Goiiies oi. this patent may be obtained for pressure of the spring to have the effect of yieldingly expanding the bracelet as a whole.

I have shown the inner link-parts 22 22 at the extreme ends of the chain in the form of snap-hooks, so that a watch or bangle or other article may be readily secured thereto 'and detached therefrom.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

A bracelet comprising a series of connected two-part links, one of the link-parts including substantially trough-shaped side portions connected at one end by a bridge and at the other end by a hooked extension of one of said side portions passing through a correspondingly-shaped aperture in the opposite side portion, the other link-part being located between said side portions which form slide bearings therefor, and a spring to normally retain said link-parts in retracted positions.

In testimony of the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

SIMON BRUNER. lVitnesses H. R. CONWAY, GOLDIE L. ECKSTEIN.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

